Always Faithful

A post of mine, back on September 18th, blathered about how squirrely people are about things and about how they don't deal well with reality. In that post I mentioned a couple of impressive things about Bush... and that set off a couple of readers. Regular readers of this column know that I am not a Republican or a Democrat. I am not a fan of our president, nor did I care much for the last one. Jeremy, of The Observationist, wrote a couple of times and so did someone known only as Am.

Let me be clear on this: I write this without sarcasm or irony. I believe that Jeremy and Am are probably warm, intelligent, and wonderful human beings. I KNOW that is true about Jeremy because he wrote me a personal email that can only be described as gracious and kind. Am seems very, very sensitive about some things, but aren't we all? He/she is probably someone I would enjoy spending time with were we able to meet face to face.

A couple of things they wrote need to be answered to be fair to them and to others. When I responded to Am that my son and I would remain Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful, he/she wrote: "Always faithful to what? To Jesus (highly recommended and a wonderful thing by the way)? To GWB? To the Republican party? To the war in Iraq/on terror? To the Marine Corps? To despising Clinton and/or democrats?"

Jeremy wrote several things, but I will mention just one. "I disagree with you that your son is fighting for my freedom to dissent."

Remember what I wrote earlier. Jeremy is a good man and means well, but this comment needs to be addressed. Jeremy, you don't get to choose what my son is fighting for. It is presumptuous in the extreme to disagree that he is fighting for your freedom to dissent when you do not know him, his comrades, or what is in their hearts. You might be surprised to find out how many Marines are democrats (and more than a few are running for political office as Democrats right now). If you ask the average grunt why he is there, the name of GWB will not come up. He will speak of honor, courage and commitment. They will speak of horrors that must end. But, mostly, they will say they are there because they need to be there. You don't have to like it, accept it, or understand it, but don't tell them why they are fighting or what they are fighting for. THEY get to decide that.

As for Am... you asked "always faithful to what?" Fair question. Here is the answer.

Always faithful to Jesus and to the Word of God, both the passages on peace and those on war, both those that require picking up the sword and those that require laying it down; those on earning money and those on not storing it up on earth (that's right. I have no retirement plan, no Social Security. Nothing), those on giving of your money, time and life in service... you get the idea. Always faithful.

Always faithful to my wife of over 28 years. If she needs me, she knows -- absolutely knows -- that I will be there for her, stopping any activity, canceling any appointment, making any journey, to get to her. She knows that I will always love her, care for her, protect her, and cherish her. Always. Always faithful.

Always faithful to my children -- my lovely daughter and my brave son. Always.

Always faithful to any within my sphere of influence. If they are being harmed, I will step in. At my age and in my current health/lack of health situation, stepping in might be fatal. I'm not the 3rd degree black belt I once was. I kid and tell people that if someone yells "Attack!" I might have one! But I will step up and step out because that is what faithful men have been called to do. We run TO the sound of guns. We wrap our arms around those whom others want to destroy. We will do it whether or not others approve; even if they impune our motives. We will do it because it is right. Always faithful.

Always faithful to my brothers and sisters in the faith. Every year I speak at churches so conservative that they use only one cup for the Lords Supper, have no Bible classes, make the women wear hats in their buildings, and refuse to eat in the building. I also will speak to United Methodist and Catholic churches, Independent Christian Churches, civic groups, and youth events -- regardless of who is putting them on. I do it because the people who love God -- even when I strongly disagree with some of their beliefs and practices -- are precious and should be treated with dignity and grace. They should be served and loved, not shunned and boycotted. A lot of people on the left and right get mad at me every year because of where I've gone and whom I've embraced, but that's all right. I love them, too. Always faithful.

Jeremy, you have graciously shown me that you are my brother and that you mean me no harm or offence. I believe you, admire you, and accept you as a friend. Am, I would do the same for you. Regardless of where we stand on this or that political/social/financial issue, I promise you that I will treat you with kindness and love. Honor, Courage, and Commitment are core values, not just for my son and his Marine friends. They are my promise to you.

Always faithful.